Bar Dobre

I fear saying good things about a still-obscure Polish spot like Bar Dobre. The last time WW
brought attention to one (Grandpa’s Cafe), it made itself
membership-only. Well, fingers crossed: The pierogi ($6) at Bar Dobre
are perfectly serviceable, but this new Italian-Polish locale also
sports quite simply the best kielbasa plate I’ve had this side of
Chicago. The $12 plate will serve as anchoring paperweight for two, and
includes spicy house-stuffed sausage, seared kale ensconced in plentiful
bacon, an airy potato pancake and warmly brined sauerkraut. The 12-inch
pizzas ($12)—apparently a hand-me-down from the Italian side of the
chef-owner’s family—feature sauces simple and fresh as a breeze, but
after a hearty pie with kielbasa, greens and egg, you’ll be loath to
move from your seat. Luckily, the bar is a cozy place to slowly
digest—whether Polish, pizza or a lovely roasted-beet salad ($7)—and
rich in apéritifs, with a drink menu that takes its vodka
extraordinarily seriously. With its deep-toned wood panels, framed
mirrors and cast-iron chandelier, the bar’s dim space is the front room
of your alcoholic grandma’s house. And she’s serving unfiltered
Belvedere vodka, vodka-champagne cocktails ($9) and whiskey with Krupnik
honey liqueur that’s like a toddy without the tea ($9).

Order this: Kielbasa plate and pierogi to split between two, paired with a Boleslaw (vodka of choice, ice, cucumber, lemon).

I’ll pass: Polish beers. The entire country never quite figured out how to brew.